Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Drop.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My name is Jonathan aka Nate Drop, and I am both Houston-native and product of the 1990s. My artistic journey began with writing various narrative forms in middle school. I wrote fanfiction stories for a handful of friends, and to this day I can still see the excitement on their faces when I would hand them a chapter I finished – most likely during the previous class. From stories, I moved to poetry, and in high school, I had the privilege of writing news articles for the Houston Chronicle. I had fallen in love with words and their ability to make people think, laugh and feel.
By this time I had put little thought into creating music. I had resolved that I did not have the talent or confidence to put myself on such outward display. However, in high school, I would meet two rappers then known as Prophetik and Sillable (now Sill) who saw my talent and encouraged me to begin rapping. Up until then, I had very few rap influences. I grew up in a mildly conservative Christian home, so my mom played a lot of gospel records, but also funk and jazz. Artists such as Sade and Donald Fagen would become my earliest musical influences, and thankfully, with the internet and access to online music sharing, I would discover hip-hop influences that would continue to be long-time heroes for me. The creative marvel of Missy Elliott, the forever-ever cool wordplay of Outkast, the sheer confidence of Lil Wayne and the spirit that is Erykah Badu.
In college, I joined those former classmates from Carnegie Vanguard High School to create the rap group The Grande Collective. The group, comprised of Prophetik, Sill and myself, would release two projects on SoundCloud and Bandcamp before the band’s dissolution. By then, I was bitten by the bug and determined to continue creating music. Thankfully, I would meet a fellow classmate at University of Houston that created beats and was looking for someone to record over them. With Eric Teran’s production and home studio we created my first solo project called “Elevator Music.” The 10-track album featured appearances from former bandmate Prophetik and former classmate Fat Tony. Later, I would release a remix to the album’s title track featuring Kristal Cherelle.
Four years since the release of “Elevator Music,” I am preparing to release an EP comprised of instrumentation from producers Ill Faded and John Allen Stephens. In October 2018, I released the first single from the EP called “All Night” which is available on all major streaming platforms.
Please tell us about your art.
I draw influence from various genres of music, but ultimately I would consider myself a hip-hop artist. I have the privilege of combining my love for words and music to create songs. Sometimes I rap, sometimes I sing, it depends upon the song and the vibe that I want to create. Energy and vibrations are very important to my process. Because I do not produce any of my beats, the vibe is everything. I may commission a producer to create a beat similar to another song based on the vibe that it gives me and the vibe that I want to create. My songs are not written previously, because I believe each of my songs reveals itself to me. The songs are born out of what I want to be heard and what the instrumentation tells me. It is a very collaborative process with the producer, and for me, that collaboration is the most enjoyable part. We have come to this studio to create something that has not been made, and the act of such creation is special – it is a gift.
I think something beautiful can happen when an artist, which is usually in charge because we’re working independently, relinquishes some control of their creation and trusts the energy, circumstances, and people around them. Though I go into the studio with an idea of how I hope things will sound, I keep an open mind and allow mistakes and accidents to create new opportunities. I continue to go back to the studio for many reasons. I will always write, even if I did not go into a studio and record these words with an accompanying melody I would still need to get what is going on in my head onto a page. Writing is where I found my ability to express myself. In these words and consequently these songs, I can write truths, fears, messages, and questions to which I may never get an accompanying reply.
I want to speak to people and if I am lucky, for people who might not otherwise have voices or the platform for which to speak. That’s what my music gives me. It gives me the ability to speak to myself retroactively. Will I be able to counsel the young boy, growing up without a father, wondering if he truly has a perspective worth being heard despite his peers calling him “weird” or “nerd”? Perhaps no, but I can write a song celebrating the “weird” and the “other” by using my own life and life lessons as reference.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
It delights me to see so many artists today. Thanks to social media and the ability to create home studios, there are new singers, rappers, painters, photographers popping up every day. I think we are experiencing a shift. The internet did a number on society, and it’s nowhere near finished. It is giving every artist a platform which I think is important, but some might say it’s flooding the market. I still believe that great art will continue to win and in a world where you can create your own merchandise from your couch, that means there are more ways of monetizing it. The game has new tools, and you have to be creative about how you use them if you want to succeed. Creativity will continue to be rewarded, and because of social media, you have an increased opportunity of finding your audience. Personally, I’m not concerned with being a household name. I would rather find the group that resonates with my art and build from there. Being an artist for a living has always required more work than just creating the art.
Houston has an interesting art scene. There are a lot of players and a lot of talent. Ultimately, I think it will take both artists and those who want to see them thrive working together to create opportunities and events that will help bring local talent to the forefront. It is an ongoing tension because we are the fourth largest city in America, which means there’s a lot of people here but I love what Houston has done thus far. I drive around the city and find more and more artists displaying their work in unconventional means. Street art adorns many buildings around town. Community events will host long lineups of local acts. Open mics give the novice and seasoned performer the opportunity to have an audience which at the end of the day is a privilege.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
All of my music is on my Bandcamp page (www.natedrop.bandcamp.com), and there it is available for purchase. Otherwise, it is available on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud and a myriad of other streaming platforms. I am mostly active on Instagram (@natedrop) where I enjoy posting about my creative process, my inspirations and any updates (show dates, etc.) that I may have for the public.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.natedrop.bandcamp.com
- Email: natedropmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/natedrop
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/natedrop
Image Credit:
All images are self-portraits by the artist.
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
